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Magical Mompox is a town along the Magdalena River, seemingly stuck in time. It’s off the beaten path but well worth the effort to get to.
Introduction to Mompox
Mompox, officially Santa Cruz de Mompox, is a place that seems to jump off the pages of a Gabriel García Márquez novel. It’s a Colombian Heritage Town (Pueblo Patrimonio) as well as a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can see it in a day, but it’s best to stay for two or three to take your time and soak in the atmosphere. We spent a few nights in Mompox, giving us two full days to relax and take in the colonial town. It didn’t disappoint.
Mompox was founded on May 3, 1537, by Spanish conquistador Alonso de Heredia, brother of Pedro de Heredia (c. 1505-1554), the founder of Cartagena. The town prospered as a port for the transportation of gold and other goods up the Magdalena River. It later became one of the most important towns during the Colombian struggle for independence from Spain. Liberator Simón Bolívar (1783-1830) once said:
If to Caracas I owe my life, then to Mompox I owe my glory.
Getting to Mompox
Getting to Mompox is an adventure in itself. Although it’s not as difficult as some people make it seem, it IS time consuming and may take some extra planning.
Driving to Mompox
We drove from Coveñas, which would more or less follow the same route as someone coming from Cartagena or Barranquilla. This involved stopping in Magangué and taking a car ferry from Yatí to La Bodega across the Magdalena River before continuing along the road to Mompox. With two bridges over the river opening to traffic in March 2020, the journey has become much easier.
If coming from Santa Marta, Bogotá, or Bucaramanga, the road as you approach Mompox is in an abysmal state. Potholes the size of swimming pools will take a toll on both passengers and drivers.
Buses to Mompox
Bus passengers from Cartagena or Barranquilla will take a similar route crossing the two bridges over the Magdalena River. In the past, at Magangué, you had to board a chalupa and continue by bus once arriving at La Bodega. Some buses crossed on the ferry, making the trip a lot easier.
There are a few direct bus services from Bogotá and Bucaramanga. Santa Marta seems a bit trickier, with locals telling me there’s a change to a taxi or minibus somewhere near Mompox.
Shared Car Service
There are shared car services from Cartagena, Barranquilla, and Santa Marta. They’ll pick you up at your hotel in those cities and drop you off at your hotel in Mompox. It’s best to ask at reception if they can book a reputable car service for you.
Getting Around Mompox
Getting around Mompox can be done on foot, but it can be several blocks between certain attractions. Furthermore, it’s so hot, you might want to hop on a tuk-tuk (motocarro) to get from Point A to Point B. The cost is reasonable and it saves you lots of energy from walking in the blazing heat.
Where to Stay in Mompox
Without any big hotel chains, you’ll choose between small boutique hotels and simpler accommodation.
Casa Amarilla
We stayed at Casa Amarilla, a beautiful boutique hotel in a colonial building. It’s located on La Albarrada, just steps from the Magdalena River and the Church of Santa Barbara.
They have an amazing staff that goes out of their way to make sure you have a comfortable stay. Breakfast is included in the rate, and there are some nice areas in the lobby to sit. Another advantage is that one of the best restaurants in town is located pretty much next door.
Our room was very clean and comfortable and the air conditioning was excellent. That’s definitely a plus in Mompox! We really enjoyed the peace and quiet of the room and slept wonderfully.
Where to Eat in Mompox
When we visited Mompox, we found the selection of good restaurants to be limited. However, we were generally very happy with where we ate.
El Fuerte
The best restaurant we tried by far was El Fuerte. Located in a historic colonial building, El Fuerte specializes in pizzas and pasta dishes and is owned by a man from Austria. It’s located just a few steps from our hotel along La Albarrada.
We ate there two nights in a row. On the first night, we started with bruschetta. We each ordered a pizza, which are cooked in a wood-fired brick oven. The bruschetta wasn’t that great but the pizzas were excellent. To finish our meal, we shared an apple strudel with ice cream.
On our second night, we shared a gazpacho, which was delicious. Marisol had a shrimp salad and I had ravioli. The meal was good, but it didn’t quite match the quality of the pizza the night before. I’d stick with the pizza.
One note: El Fuerte only accepts cash. They only told us when it was time to pay the bill. It’s one of the more expensive restaurants in town, so be prepared.
Ambrosia
Located on Plaza de la Libertad, we stopped into Ambrosia for lunch on our second day. They serve up Caribbean fusion, and have a wide variety of dishes on their menu. I had a chicken and eggplant parmesan dish while Marisol had a shrimp dish. Both were excellent.
Taganga Cevichería (Permanently Closed)
Taganga Cevichería is located off Plaza Santa Bárbara. They offer “build your own ceviche”, where you choose the seafood, toppings, and sauces. It’s not the best ceviche but it was good.
Rico y Rápido (Permanently Closed)
A block from our hotel on Calle del Medio, we ate our first dinner at Rico y Rápido. They have a good variety of fast food dishes and traditional Colombian favorites. We both had chicken and fries. It was cheap and exactly what we expected out of the meal – nothing special but it hit the spot.
La Isla (Permanently Closed)
Finally, if you’re into craft beer, visit La Isla. It’s a bar along La Albarrada serving brews from Santa Marta. It’s not the best beer I’ve ever had, but service is friendly and the atmosphere and decor is nice.
Local Specialties in Mompox
One of the best things about Mompox are the local specialties that can be found all around town. There are three in particular that are worth seeking out.
Filigree
The most important craft in Mompox is filigree (filigrana). This ancient jewelry technique has been performed in Mompox since colonial times, and stores can be found scattered throughout the historic town center.
Artists are happy to show you rings, earrings, pendants and other pieces they created using silver and gold. Many pieces have a strictly Colombian theme. Unfortunately, the artists we spoke to refused to show us how they made the filigree. They were afraid it would be copied.
Corozo Wine
Corozo wine is another specialty. It seemed like every single tourist in Mompox takes home a bottle of this sweet fruit liqueur. Corozo is a small red fruit common in Colombia. When eaten raw, it tastes sour, but when used in a juice or wine, it takes on a sweeter flavor.
You can find several stores in town selling corozo wine. Take a sample and I’m sure you’ll end up taking a bottle or two with you!
Queso de Capa
Finally, you can find queso de capa, a special cheese made by only a handful of families in Mompox. It consists of thin bands of cheese wrapped into several layers. The flavor is mild and reminded me of mozzarella. It’s easy to find street vendors walking around town selling queso de capa, both plain and stuffed with bocadillo (guava jam), packaged in small plastic bags. If you buy it on your travels, it will keep for a few days.
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La Albarrada
La Albarrada is the street along the Magdalena River, and much of it pedestrianized. Other than being a pleasant walk, it’s lined with some of the town’s most important historic buildings. I’ll start from the very south and work my way north. The route covers about 1.5 kilometers and corresponds to Carrera 1.
Portals of the Bodega
At the very south of La Albarrada are the Portals of the Bodega (Portales de la Bodega), which was an old warehouse during the Spanish colonial period. It was used to store gunpowder, tobacco, and aguardiente.
Parks and Homes
Continuing north for the next couple blocks, there are a few parks and green spaces as well as a football field. It’s a bit cooler in this area thanks to the trees. We also noticed a few locals setting up businesses with a table and chair, including a barber shop and lemonade stand.
During the time of our visit, the homes along this stretch weren’t refurbished like the ones running north from Plaza Santa Bárbara. Many were abandoned and some were for sale.
Fort San Anselmo
At the end of the block past the football field is Fort San Anselmo (Fuerte de San Anselmo). This old building wasn’t actually a fort but was used as a warehouse for merchandise. It has been converted to a restaurant, El Fuerte.
Parque Santander
Next is Parque Santander, which is a small park with a bust of Francisco de Paula Santander (1792-1840). It’s a pleasant green space with nice landscaping and some flowers. After Parque Santander, the street becomes paved, narrower, and not as leafy.
Plaza Santa Bárbara
Plaza Santa Bárbara is just past Parque Santander. It’s easily the most scenic plaza in Mompox and is surrounded by old colonial buildings, many of them containing restaurants and businesses.
A popular place to meet or hang out, Plaza Santa Bárbara features wide lanes under tall shady trees. There are even some old cannons pointing towards the river situated along La Albarrada .
Church of Santa Barbara
The centerpiece of the plaza is the most beautiful of all the churches in Mompox, the Church of Santa Barbara (Iglesia de Santa Bárbara). The original Church of Santa Barbara was completed in 1613 out of mud and straw. The current building, an architectural gem, was completed in 1733.
Among the most striking features are the Baroque bell tower. It’s decorated with moldings of crowns, flowers, lions, and palms. The tower was built with a balcony.
Inside the church, there are three golden altars. Each pew contains gorgeous woodwork on the ends. Near the main entrance to the church is what locals pointed out as the cross of Mompox.
For COP$3,000 (as of November 2023), it’s possible to climb the bell tower. It’s accessible through the church’s courtyard, which can be seen clearly from the first level of the tower. You can also see the façade of the church from the balcony as well, but at an extreme angle.
Once you reach the upper levels, you can get a good look at the bells and mechanics. One of the bells was cast in 1830.
The views down to the plaza below as well as the surrounding area are wonderful. It’s easy to spot the bell towers of other colonial churches in Mompox. The terra cotta rooftops and small buildings show how the town really hasn’t changed over the centuries.
Homes North of Plaza Santa Bárbara
Walking north from Plaza Santa Bárbara, we passed by several whitewashed and lightly colored colonial homes along La Albarrada. They all have a beautiful view facing the Magdalena River.
Birthplace of Edith Cabrales Samudio
The first point of interest we came to after Plaza Santa Bárbara was the birthplace of Edith Cabrales Samudio (1929-1994). She inspired the iconic Caribbean song La Momposina by composer José Barros (1915-2007), who was enchanted by her beauty.
Portals of the Marquise
Next door is one of the most famous sets of buildings in Mompox, the Portals of the Marquise (Portales de la Marquesa). These buildings were constructed at the end of the 17th century and were once two mansions surrounding courtyards. In one lived the Marquise of Torre Hoyos and in the other the Marquis of Santa Coa.
Today, the mansions have been split into four buildings. They’re characterized by their huge portals and windows. On the inside they contain high ceilings and beautiful patios.
Stone of Bolívar
After a few minutes, passing by several more colonial buildings and an unfriendly iguana, we came to the Stone of Bolívar (Piedra de Bolívar). It sits next to the river on a small plaza and indicates the dates of Simón Bolívar’s visits to Mompox.
Plaza de la Concepción
A bit further along La Albarrada is the Plaza de la Concepción. It was originally called Plaza Mayor and is where the very first Spanish settlement of Mompox developed. Due to floods near the end of the 16th century and construction of homes and other buildings, the current plaza is only a fraction of the size.
Church of the Immaculate Conception
There are two important buildings on Plaza de la Concepción. One is the Church of the Immaculate Conception (Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción), which was originally built with adobe in 1541 by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Heredia (c. 1505-1554).
10 years later, the church was enlarged. Bricks replaced the adobe and tiles replaced the straw roof. The church was restored several times over the years, with the last restoration occurring in 1795.
In 1839, provincial governor José Duque ordered the church’s demolition. A new one was built to replace it, with construction lasting from 1843 to 1931. It continues to be one of the most important churches in Mompox.
Market Building
Across the plaza is the historic market building. It was completed in 1910 and has one side facing the river. Currently, it’s filled with shops and a tourism office.
Plaza del Moral
A block further north in the small Plaza del Moral, Simón Bolívar disembarked on December 25, 1812, and rounded up 300 men to fight the Spanish. It was also the location of a great reception for General Hermógenes Maza (1792-1847), a Colombian revolutionary hero who retired to private life in Mompox in 1826. During colonial times, the plaza functioned as Customs Square (Plaza de la Aduana) because the colonial customs offices were located there.
House of Candelario Obeso
Just past Plaza del Moral is the house of Candelario Obeso (1849-1884). Obeso was an important poet of mixed white and African descent. He died a tragic death in Bogotá after a gun he was handling discharged and left him with a bullet in the chest. It’s unknown if it was a suicide or an accident.
Casa Frank
A few steps later we came to one of the most interesting houses for me personally, Casa Frank. I was drawn to deep yellow color, the door, and the door knocker in the shape of a lizard. I don’t know if it’s historically significant but it really caught my eye.
Plaza de San Francisco
Finally, we finished our walk down La Albarrada at Plaza de San Francisco. This wide open plaza is where you can catch touristic cruises of the Magdalena River and Ciénaga de Pijiño.
Church of San Francisco
The focal point of the plaza is the Church of San Francisco (Iglesia de San Francisco). It was originally built in 1564, but the current building was constructed in 1966.
Sacred Heart College
Next door is the Sacred Heart College (Colegio Sagrado Corazón). This school opened its doors on January 2, 1924, and was directed by the Franciscan Mothers. It’s housed in the former Convent of San Francisco (Convento de San Francisco), which was founded by Friar Francisco Gonzaga in 1580. The convent had been left in ruins but gradually restored by the nuns.
Calle del Medio
Most of the points of interest inland from the Magdalena River lie along Calle del Medio, which is a block from La Albarrada. It’s a busy street that sees lots of action in a few parts. Motorcycles zoom by while locals go shopping. In other sections, it’s much quieter and more residential. I’ll start on the north end near Plaza de San Francisco and work my south.
Church of San Juan de Dios
The first point of interest we passed was the Church of San Juan de Dios (Iglesia de San Juan de Dios). It was founded in 1550 and belonged to the hospital next door.
Hospital San Juan de Dios
The Hospital San Juan de Dios was founded in 1550 along with the church. During the Spanish colonial period, it was funded by a tax on each boat that passed Mompox along the river. It’s considered to be the oldest hospital in the Americas still operating in its original building.
House of the Apostles
A few steps away is the House of the Apostles (Casa de los Apóstoles). It was once the mansion of a wealthy shipping family. Inside are images of the Twelve Apostles and Jesus at the Last Supper. The house was closed when we walked by.
Plaza de la Libertad
On the next block is Plaza de la Libertad. On August 6, 1810, citizens of Mompox met in the plaza to declare independence from Spain.
In the center is a monument dedicated to the independence movement. It contains a quote by Simón Bolívar (1783-1830) on one side and is topped by a woman wielding a sword.
Palace of San Carlos
The large building on the west end of the plaza is the Palace of San Carlos (Palacio de San Carlos). It was completed in 1660 by the Jesuits and housed a convent as well as the town’s first secondary school. The Jesuits were expelled from the country on February 27, 1767, and the building ceased to be a convent and school. It now serves as the Municipal Palace (Palacio Municipal). Mompox’s UNESCO designation can be found on one of the outer walls.
Cabildo
Detouring a block east of Plaza de la Libertad towards the river is the Cabildo, or Ayuntamiento (Town Council). During the Spanish colonial period, it contained the mayor’s office, a notary office, a meeting room, and dungeons. On August 6, 1810, after the cry for independence in the plaza, town officials met there and signed the Act of Absolute Independence from Spain. The cry “be free or die” (“ser libres o morir”) was first heard there. The building is now known as the Municipality House (Casa de la Municipalidad).
Parque de Bolívar
Continuing south down Calle del Medio for another block is Parque de Bolívar. It’s a lively square full of vendors selling street food, used books, and other goods. A statue of Bolívar sits in the center.
Casa de Te Deum
A half block away is the Casa de Te Deum, now functioning as Hostal Doña Manuela. It’s a 17th century mansion once owned by Pedro Martínez de Pinillos and his wife, Manuela Tomasa de Nájera. It contains a restaurant, hotel, swimming pool, and a beautiful interior garden. Above the door is an inscription in Latin: TE DEUM LAUDAMUS TE DOMINUM (We praise you our Lord). Apparently the hotel offers tours each afternoon, but we weren’t allowed to walk around on our own.
Palace of Justice
Next door is the Palace of Justice (Palacio de Justicia). I couldn’t find any useful information about it.
Cultural Museum of Religious Art
At the end of the block is the Cultural Museum of Religious Art (Museo Cultural de Arte Religioso), which was founded on July 30, 1990. It occupies the former home of the Gutiérrez de Piñeres family and is where Simón Bolívar stayed on five of his eight visits to Mompox. The museum displays gold and silver jewelry from the 16th to 18th centuries as well as 17th century oil paintings of the Holy Family and religious objects used during Holy Week. Admission is COP$10,000 per person (as of February 2024) and photography is forbidden inside. We decided not to visit.
Cultural Center
Another block south is the Cultural Center (Casa de la Cultura). The building was the birthplace of Juan del Corral (1778-1814), a governor of Antioquia. He proposed the freedom of child slaves, which was enacted a few weeks before his death. It now holds a small museum about the town’s history, and classrooms for art and music. We visited the Cultural Center and spent about a half hour there. Admission is COP$3,000 per person (as of January 2024).
Building of the Cultural Center
When we entered the building, the first thing we noticed was antique furniture. There was also a fresco that had been whitewashed, and the paint was peeled back in a few spots to reveal how the building might have looked in the past. A beautiful courtyard sits in the center.
In a room at the back of the building, we saw an original tin ceiling, which reminded me of something out of the Wild West. We also saw the building’s antique bathroom. The tub was made of marble while the toilet was made of porcelain. In the rear courtyard, there’s a garden and former stables.
Museum at the Cultural Center
We started our visit to the museum portion of the building in what seemed to be a meeting room. Outside on the courtyard we admired a huge clay jug. These jugs carried wine and oil from Spain by ship during the colonial period.
Next, we saw an exhibit displaying artifacts found in archaeological digs throughout town, including pottery shards and bones. Several bodies were exhumed in the town plazas during renovations because churches, cloisters, and plazas were used for burials before the cemetery was built.
Next, we visited a room displaying the personal articles and portraits of important residents of Mompox and the region. Another room was set aside to honor Candelario Obeso (1849-1884), a famous Colombian poet from Mompox.
Church of San Agustín
Across the street from the Cultural Center is the Church of San Agustín (Iglesia de San Agustín). It’s officially named the Minor Basilica of the Most Holy Christ of Mompox (Basílica Menor del Santísimo Cristo de Mompox). The church and attached convent was founded in 1606 by the Barefoot Augustinian Hermits.
Inside the church is a masterpiece, the Holy Christ Crucified, which sits behind the altar. There’s also a large golden sepulcher kept behind a glass case as well as a beautiful pulpit carved out of wood.
House of Remembrance
The final building on Calle del Medio we passed was the House of Remembrance (Casa del Recuerdo). It was built between 1806 and 1809 by Pantaleón Germán de Ribón y Segura, a hero of Colombian independence. He was executed in Cartagena on February 24, 1816. The house now functions as a nursing home.
Calle de Atrás
Wandering along the next street away from the river, Calle de Atrás, we noticed a few interesting murals. One was a mosaic and the other is a painting. Both are dedicated to the annual jazz festival that takes place in Mompox every October.
Church of Santo Domingo
Between the two murals is the Church of Santo Domingo (Iglesia de Santo Domingo), which was originally built in 1554 out of straw. It remained in its original state until it collapsed on August 19, 1845. The current building was completed in 1856. Next door to the original church was the Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition, which was destroyed during the time of Colombian independence from Spain. The church was closed when we walked by.
Pinillos College
Across the street is a large school building, Pinillos College (Colegio Pinillos). It was founded at the Palace of San Carlos on August 29, 1809, by Pedro Martínez de Pinillos as the Universal School of St. Peter the Apostle. Pinillos was born in Torrecilla de los Cameros, Spain, on January 18, 1748, and arrived in Mompox in 1769.
Construction on the building began in 1794 and was completed in 1809. Classes in philosophy, Latin, theology, medicine, and painting were taught. Simón Bolívar stayed there on his final two visits to Mompox – August 14, 1827, and May 18, 1830. An ordinance on November 19, 1853, changed the name of the school to honor its founder.
Mompox Cemetery
The Mompox Cemetery (Cementerio de Mompox) is located about a block west of the Church of Santo Domingo. Originally, burials took place in the patios of churches and cloisters throughout town. Unfortunately, because the bodies were not properly buried, several epidemics broke out. Spanish priest and botanist José Celestino Mutis (1732-1808) suggested a new cemetery be built. The Mompox Cemetery opened in 1831.
The entrance to the cemetery is through a beautifully manicured park. To the right is a statue of the ancient Greek muse Euterpe. Above the gate to the cemetery is the phrase “Here confines life with eternity” (“Aquí confina la vida con la eternidad”).
Inside the gates, there’s a brick path down the center. On either side appear to be the graves of the wealthier citizens of Mompox.
Among the most important people buried in the cemetery are General Hermógenes Maza (1792-1847) and Candelario Obeso (1849-1884), both mentioned earlier in this post.
There are also a few other tombs that caught my eye. One belonged to a soldier who died in the Korean War in 1953. Another belonged to a local musician. There was also the grave of a German immigrant to Colombia.
At the end of the path is a chapel. It was consecrated in 1840 by the Bishop of Santa Marta, Luis José Serrano Díaz. The altar was made mostly of Carrara marble. Surrounding the chapel are simpler tombs.
El Cuchubo Botanical Garden (Permanently Closed)
Finally, a few blocks west of Plaza Santa Bárbara, we tried to visit the El Cuchubo Botanical Garden (Jardín Botánico El Cuchubo). The garden was founded by Carlos Pontón Rangel (1918-1991), a self-taught botanist who became a professor at the University of Córdoba in Montería. Apparently, there are over 1,000 species of plants in the garden collected from around world and it’s visited by university students from all over Colombia. When we arrived, we found the doors closed and no indication it was actually a botanical garden. We did manage to peek through the fence, however.
